Helping Seniors Overcome Anxiety Disorders

Excessive anxiety causes distress and interferes with daily activities of a person. However, its effects seem to double when it comes to seniors.  As many are already suffering from some sort of physical health problem, they often find it difficult to deal with stressful situations. Let us review what Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Social Anxiety are and how different treatments can help seniors overcome these disorders.

GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD)

5-percent of the population experiences a generalized anxiety disorder during their lifetime. There also seems to be a genetic component. Symptoms of GAD are tight muscles, back pain, or headaches for which there might be no biological cause. Seniors suffering from GAD often feel restless, on edge, and are often irritated.

SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER

Not all of us are that open to public conversations and might feel nervous or uneasy while talking to strangers. Seniors with a social anxiety disorder are often so terrified of social situations that they withdraw and refuse to participate in many social occasions. This may often be due to other problems that they are going through like hearing impairment, issues with incontinence, or embarrassment over using a walker or wheelchair.

TREATMENT

The elderly suffering from these disorders can be treated by a combination of talk therapies and medication. Prescribed drugs should be used cautiously and at lower doses in the elderly. A physician can prescribe some particularly effective medications such as Paxil®, Prozac®, and Zoloft®. Numerous studies have indicated that for a medication to be most effective, the patient should also be meeting on a regular basis with a skilled counselor, therapist, or social worker. Other patients can be treated with meditation, biofeedback, massage, and acupuncture.

In-home care providers are good at therapy talks and can help your senior loved one by talking to them and making them comfortable in having conversations related to their feelings. You can get in touch with Always Best Care to receive the best In-Home Care Services in East Bay, CA for your aging family member. For further inquiry, call (925) 210-0323.